Odisha festivities draw to a close at India Gate lawns

Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: The curtains came down on the cultural extravaganza on the lawns of India Gate in New Delhi yesterday, which Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh gracing the occasion as the chief guest.

The Home Minister later tweeted about Odisha Parba and the rich cultural ethos of Odisha at the event.

Celebrated the vibrant colours and true spirit of Odia culture by attending the ongoing ‘Odisha Parba’ at the India Gate lawns in New Delhi today. The theme of this year’s fest is ‘Paika Rebellion’ of 1817. This year we are commemorating the bicentenary of ‘Paika Bidroha’. pic.twitter.com/c1jz9rufVv

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 11, 2018

During the three-day event, people of Delhi and NCR region got a glimpse of Odisha’s culture, tradition, heritage and cuisine. The second edition of the festival also saw an increase in footfall with over 2 lakh people visiting the mini Odisha in the heart of Delhi.

The other guests on the dais were Union Culture and Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma, MP Bhartruharai Mahtab, master sculptor Sudarshan Sahoo and Odissi danseuse Aruna Mohanty.

The valedictory evening started with a series of enthralling Fusion Paika Nacha and Bagha Nacha, besides Odissi by Aruna Mohanty and group and performance by Odisha-born Bollywood singer Krishna Beuraa.

Odia song ‘Hati Saja Kara’ by Susmita Das and a contemporary dance Kalinga Gatha were the other highlights.

Barabati Fort as the backdrop of the grand stage, enlivened the performances.

While entrance gate took the shape of ‘Dola Bimana’, a common sight in Odisha during Holi, installation of Paika Bidroha too found space on the lawn and the rebellion against the British was also showcased through audio-visual medium and other performances.

What people savoured the most was a variety of authentic Odia cuisines. The entire food court was designed in a fort style on the theme ‘Baarah Maasi Tera Parba’, which reflected Odisha’s passion for festivals in one calendar year.

“We sold two quintal of our traditional Puri Khaja and Ananda Ladoos in the first two days,” said Narayan, a vendor. 

People also made beeline for the handicraft and handloom stalls. “The overall response has been good and we could sell a number of items,” said Sanjeeb Kumar Nayak, who had a stall at the festival.